- PDP asks tribunal for more time to produce witnesses
- Tribunal to resume proceedings later in the day
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday, said it had no witness to call to attest to its acclaimed credibility and fairness of the election that produced Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.
Recallll that the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Chijioke Edeoga, who is challenging Mbah’s victory, closed his case on Sunday.
The matter was then adjourned to yesterday, Tuesday, for the INEC to open its defense. The case was again adjourned for today, Wednesday, at the request of INEC when it could not produce any witness.
However, when the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu resumed proceedings on Wednesday, the commission still failed to produce any witness.
INEC through its team of lawyers led by Humphrey Okoli told the court that the commission would no longer be calling any witness.
Okoli said: “The first respondent (INEC) is mandated to open the case. My Lord, after a thorough review of the case, we have decided not to bring in any witness”
Counsel for the PDP, Benjamin Nwosu and that of Peter Mbah did not oppose INEC. Mbah, 2nd defendant, was expected to also open their case.
Though he reiterated his resolve to produce witnesses to defend the outcome of the disputed governorship poll, his counsel, however, told the tribunal that it would need more time to enable them bring their witnesses.
Consequently, his counsel persuaded the tribunal to adjourn further proceedings in the matter for two hours, since, according to him, he had four days to put up defense.
He said, “We are inclined to open our case today. However, we will need two hours to present our witnesses”.
Edeoga’s legal team led by Adegboyega Awomolo did not oppose the application for an adjournment.
Consequently, the tribunal deferred the case for two hours to enable the party to produce its first witness by 11 am today, Wednesday.
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